Anyone know how to remove hard water stains from glass that you can’t touch? I don’t mean salt and iso to clean it, I’m talking mineral deposits. I’ve tried soaking and shaking with iso, vinegar, Grunge Off, Dark Crystal, Oxiclean, PH Down, and something else I’m probably forgetting - nothing works. Has someone had success with this?
Is there a certain kind of vinegar? I tried and it didn’t work. Maybe my vinegar expired, I’ll try again.
You might try supersaturating water with baking soda until it won't dissolve any further. That's an alkaline cleaner. Vinegar and salt (as an abrasive) has worked well for me in the past as well but you already mentioned that.
Brewervapesalot
Well-Known Member
Distilled vinegar is cheap. Star San is an acid based sanitizer that is safe and concentrated too.
ensabbahnur
Hash Vacuum
If none of these methods have worked yet, dont forget it could be etched at this point.
And distilled water for the win
And distilled water for the win
GoldenBud
Well-Known Member
Etched? Can you explain how? Because glass isn't an organic compound?
ensabbahnur
Hash Vacuum
Actually no, Im honestly not sure how it happens but it does for sure. A quick google search shows all kinds of theories as to what/why and there are plenty of people that have tried all sorts of products and methods for removal. I used to work in a petrochemical analysis lab and even the glass we didn't use for crazy chemicals would get etched after a while. I have an 11-12 year old Zob octo tree bubbler that I never had anything but water and salt (just for cleansing) and it is horribly etched on the inside, and only where the water was. Ive put all sort of things through it after the fact to try to clean it and nothing has made any appreciable difference. Perhaps etching might not be the correct term, but its physically/mechanically effected for sure.
GoldenBud
Well-Known Member
I think acetone will take all the resin (make sure you read my ***EDIT) from the glass, if it's the last path to go.
Can you send links to the glass-organic etching?
Because as far as I know, if you put any organic solvent in a glass.. it'll take all of it basically.
***EDIT: If you leave some glass for YEARS, It'll have also Inorganic compounds on the glass(Dust/who knows...) . right. I get your point. Then an organic solvent won't take it all. Another solvent needs to be added after the glass is clean or so. need to think about something, but i gotcha.
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ensabbahnur
Hash Vacuum
Well what im talking about definitely is not resin (i dont really mess with tree so my pieces never accumulate resin anyways) and Ive run acetone through my Zob and it didn't do anything.
Im not sure what youre asking about with links to organic etching, google search etched glass and bong and there are tons of rabbit holes to go down.
Ive used the Zob for years but never left anything in it for more then a week, Ive always been a clean snob with my glass. Best I could do is maybe post a pic of my piece although Im not sure how thats gonna help.
And as I said, no, Im not sure at all that etching is the correct phenomena we are talking about, but Ive seen numerous pics that look exactly like what I have and everyone called it etching, as most of those folks also listed that they tried most chemical remedies and it certainly appears to be something beyond some hard water or mineral build up.....but again, I really do not know.
Im also almost certain there is another thread about this on FC and it was pretty long IIRC and there was discussion about this exact thing.
torkwench13
Well-Known Member
Ya might want to try citric acid before you haul out anything really nasty! I feel it works better than vinegar. I use it in my stainless tea kettle and it makes short work of it! Just boil water, dump in a couple tablespoons or so and let it do its thing. I de-scale the hot water pots at work and watch the deposits disappear. I got mine on Amazon; Anthony's brand and it's food grade. My 2 cents!
sickmanfraud
Well-Known Member
PBW is the best bet. If you have trouble getting PBW (Avail on Amazon) you can try citric acid, we use citric acid to remove scale and deposits on hot water urns.
Brewervapesalot
Well-Known Member
PBW may work. But its alkaline, same as the scale build up. When I remove beerstone from brewery equipment and removed hard water build up when I lived in Phoenix, acid based something was my go to....
If distilled vinegar doesn't work then no vinegar will. Acids (vinegar, hydrochloric/muriatic, lemon, de-scaling compounds) should work if you let it soak for a few days. Chemical etching seems unlikely.
If it's not coming off with acids it could be biofilm and not mineral deposits; there was a whole thread about this on here. In which case I'd suggest going to the other end of the pH scale and try the supersaturated alkaline scrub.
CANtalk
Well-Known Member
Are CLR and Lime Away products difficult to find in the US? These are the standard in my experience for hard water staining removal (I've got hard water and fast mineral staining). I've used both products when I go overboard with PBW concentrations in vape glass cleaning (too much PBW stains glass white as well and can be difficult to remove).
Additionally, I use distilled water in my vape glass when vaping wet... and when I clean my vape glass I use a triple rinse of fresh distilled water (after triple rinsing in very hot tap water
). My routine is easy enough I've been doing it after three days use for years now 
.
Additionally, I use distilled water in my vape glass when vaping wet... and when I clean my vape glass I use a triple rinse of fresh distilled water (after triple rinsing in very hot tap water
). My routine is easy enough I've been doing it after three days use for years now
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At a certain point, the level of harsh chemicals one is using, it'd make more sense to work on some way of not caring about blemishes 
I think this is why some people use everyday crockery and then have some set aside for Sunday best/visitors.
Everyday glass for everyday use, and special glass for when the vicar and the mother in law come for Sunday lunch
I think this is why some people use everyday crockery and then have some set aside for Sunday best/visitors.
Everyday glass for everyday use, and special glass for when the vicar and the mother in law come for Sunday lunch